brainwashing
noun
brain·wash·ing
ˈbrān-ˌwȯ-shiŋ 
-ˌwä-
1
: a forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up basic political, social, or religious beliefs and attitudes and to accept contrasting regimented ideas
2
: persuasion by propaganda or salesmanship
Examples of brainwashing in a Sentence
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Advertisement Hank then explains why the mainframe of the entire brainwashing system was routed through the head of Representative Welch (Martha Kelly).
—
Barry Levitt, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
Shakespeare put all his understanding of human nature into Iago’s brainwashing master class.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
Despite the cesspits of conspiracy-think that pollute contemporary politics, the specific paranoia of Letts’s characters — bugs under the skin, brainwashing, nefarious doctors in government labs — feels less blazingly relevant than comparatively quaint.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Hale connects that story to another tale that took place in the same wilderness twenty years earlier—a story of a cult, brainwashing, teenage prophets, and murder.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
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Barry Levitt, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
Shakespeare put all his understanding of human nature into Iago’s brainwashing master class.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
Despite the cesspits of conspiracy-think that pollute contemporary politics, the specific paranoia of Letts’s characters — bugs under the skin, brainwashing, nefarious doctors in government labs — feels less blazingly relevant than comparatively quaint.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Hale connects that story to another tale that took place in the same wilderness twenty years earlier—a story of a cult, brainwashing, teenage prophets, and murder.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brainwashing
Cite this Entry
“Brainwashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brainwashing. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
brainwashing
noun
brain·wash·ing
ˈbrān-ˌwȯsh-iŋ, -ˌwäsh-
: a forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up basic political, social, or religious beliefs and attitudes and to accept contrasting regimented ideas
brainwash
transitive verb
brainwash
noun
brainwasher
noun
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